should I Hunt Test?

Post Reply
jfwhit
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:19 am
Location: Oklahoma City, OK

should I Hunt Test?

Post by jfwhit » Sun Oct 26, 2014 7:26 pm

I have a 1 yr old male Brittany. We are about to start the season. He is steady to wing, shot, and fall. He loves to hunt. I cannot get him to retrieve. Granted he has mainly been focusing on prey drive, holding point, obedience, etc. He's just been allowed to retrieve if he wants. In other words, we've just tried to get him interested in retrieve, chase a downed bird. He will go to the bird, pick it up, drop it, then run on. No force fetch.

Now, do I hunt him this season and see how he does over wild birds, then FF him in the off season?

When Hunt Test time comes in Feb, do I JH him, which he is beyond. Or do I wait till he can retrieve to SH him.

I am new to this. I have never ran a dog in a test before.

User avatar
Stoneface
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1050
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:33 pm
Location: Terrell/Quinlan, Texas

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by Stoneface » Sun Oct 26, 2014 9:33 pm

I've trialed some, but am just getting into testing. I'm jumping my dog right to SH and maybe MH. JH is kind of a gimme, in my opinion. Seems like all a dog has to do is flash point once in a brace and he's going to pass. If you want to do SH eventually, I'd say hold off to start there. If your dog is as good as he sounds, running JH would just be a formality and just free money for AKC.
www.PoetryShootingClub.com
www.StonefaceKennels.com
----------
"I have found it far more pleasuable pursuing the game with a fine dog and enjoying his performance than the actual shooting." -Robert G. Wehle

User avatar
Brazosvalleyvizslas
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1340
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:20 am
Location: Soon2be, Texas

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:03 pm

Yeah but the owner has never run any Test so I say go run, see other dogs, meet people that can help and remember that your not only supporting the AKC but also your local club. Heck, talk about tossing away money, I will run a dog at our local clubs that already has 15 MHA legs just so we can have fun and support the club.

I will have to sell a gun to do so but I will still do it.LOL

User avatar
Sharon
GDF Junkie
Posts: 9111
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Ontario,Canada

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by Sharon » Sun Oct 26, 2014 11:08 pm

X2
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett

User avatar
mm
Rank: Champion
Posts: 347
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:12 am
Location: Long Island, NY

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by mm » Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:21 am

You seem to be doing well with your dog and its nice to support clubs however don't forget you cant control the other dog. Your dog is young and doing well how will he take it when he is with unsteady dogs who may chase or catch birds in front of him. You could do a lot of harm.
mm

RayGubernat
GDF Junkie
Posts: 3307
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:47 am
Location: Central DE

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by RayGubernat » Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:29 am

I think you could and probably should walk a few braces of a JH test or two, just to see what it is all about for both yourself and your dog. You will probably be able to make an informed decision that way.

My sense of it is this...if your dog is broke, running in a JH will be a real test of that steadiness, because most of the bracing dogs will NOT be steady and may not even point. That would not be my choice.

If your dog is ready for all aspects of the Senior hunter test except the retrieve portion, it might make more sense to enter your dog at this level of testing and if the dog does not retrieve...SO WHAT?? Most of the dogs will be fairly well broke, so your chances of setting your dog's training back will be less.

Stuff happens, but the level of training that can be expected in a senior test is much closer to where your dog is now and will be in the spring.

RayG

Neil
GDF Junkie
Posts: 3187
Joined: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:46 pm
Location: Central Arkansas

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by Neil » Mon Oct 27, 2014 8:34 am

The dog is only a year old, if he stays steady he will be the second one I have heard of.

I would wait until after the season to Dr.

And as said it is usually the handler that needs the hunting test JH experience.

jfwhit
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:19 am
Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by jfwhit » Mon Oct 27, 2014 9:02 am

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

He is steady with a ecollar. I have yet to run him without one. Maybe that doesn't qualify as truly being steady for testing purposes. I have been to a couple of tests as an observer through my breeder. She is wanting me to test him. I enjoyed it and would like to do it, but my main goal for him was to be my hunting buddy. So I will not hunt him without a collar. I may have a rude awakening when I do compete without the collar. As Neil said, he is only a year old (this Wednesday) and kids can be kids. He has been through the puppy training at Ronnie Smith Jr. Kennels, then went through his program. I get him back this week. I have gone out there about every other Saturday and train with him. I rarely, if even, have needed to use the collar lately. They have done a great job with him. But as I've seen before, dogs are smart enough to know when the collar is on or not.

Hope this extra info helps.

User avatar
DonF
GDF Junkie
Posts: 4020
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:09 pm
Location: Antelope, Ore

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by DonF » Mon Oct 27, 2014 9:22 am

At the point where your dog is, I'd just force and be done with it. Then skip both Jr and Sr test's and go straight to Master. Not one good thing can come from running the lesser test's with your dog. When test's first started in the NW, a gallery could follow along. If it still can, you go and walk braces, you don't need a dog down to learn. I think the Jr test is BS. The Sr test is great for people that hunt and have no intention of having a broke dog. If your intention is a broke dog, obviously it is, don't put your dog down with lesser dog's, you don't need him to learn one thing from a Sr dog, he's past that!
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

User avatar
Tooling
Rank: 3X Champion
Posts: 521
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:32 am

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by Tooling » Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:18 pm

If your pup has been introduced to birds + gunfire and little else, you're good to go & JH could be a positive thing. If you have your dog even the slightest bit steady, I would strongly discourage running in any JH test as there are far too many pitfalls. It is unfortunate.

aulrich
Rank: 2X Champion
Posts: 400
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:49 am
Location: Alberta

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by aulrich » Mon Oct 27, 2014 4:01 pm

I run NAVHDA tests and those you run without e-collar can’t say about AKC tests , but I would bet they run naked too and really that is the true test of your dogs training.

As a personal philosophy I think it’s better to fail the higher test than ace the lower , you learn more that way.

cjhills
GDF Junkie
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:37 am
Location: aitkin,mn

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by cjhills » Mon Oct 27, 2014 4:20 pm

Make sure your dog handles well enough so he does not take out his brace mate if you go straight to senior or master. It can be a lot of pressure on a young dog. Not much good happens in a junior test...............Cj

User avatar
DonF
GDF Junkie
Posts: 4020
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 6:09 pm
Location: Antelope, Ore

Re: should I Hunt Test?

Post by DonF » Mon Oct 27, 2014 7:27 pm

cjhills wrote:Make sure your dog handles well enough so he does not take out his brace mate if you go straight to senior or master. It can be a lot of pressure on a young dog. Not much good happens in a junior test...............Cj
Very true you can end up putting to much pressure on the pup. Hold back and let the pup come along before throwing it or yourself into it. Your pup will be with you 10+ years, don't get everything done the first year.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

Post Reply